Eagles have improved on offense and look to be even better after bye week

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles are starting to look more like themselves on offense but say there is still a long way to go.

Philadelphia entered its bye week following its best offensive performance of the season in a 38-20 victory over the Giants on Oct. 26 that improved the reigning Super Bowl champions to 6-2. The Eagles look to carry that strong play into their next game, at Green Bay next Monday, but they know there still is much work to do.

“We still have a lot of things to fix and clean up, but that’s what this week will be about,” coach Nick Sirianni said a day after Philadelphia rushed for 276 yards against New York.

The struggles on the ground before the breakout performance against the Giants was one of the surprises of the season for the Eagles, whose plays are being called by first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. After rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season in 2024, Saquon Barkley was not having anywhere near that success in 2025 until gaining 150 yards on the ground, including a 65-yard touchdown burst, against the Giants.

“Saquon being Saquon,” quarterback Jalen Hurts said.

Backup running back Tank Bigsby produced 104 yards after Barkley went to the bench with a groin injury.

“When you are able to run the ball efficiently like that, it gives you a flow a bit,” Hurts said.

Hurts also has picked up the pace, throwing for four touchdowns against the Giants after a perfect 158.3 passer rating the week before in a 28-22 win at Minnesota. The Super Bowl MVP entered Week 9 with 15 touchdowns and one interception, leading the league in touchdown/interception ratio through eight weeks, and his 20 total scores were second in the NFL. In spite of looking better of late, Hurts is not satisfied.

“Definitely got a lot of work to do,” he said. “I think the best is yet to come.”

One area that doesn’t need much help is the red zone, where Philadelphia converted at a league-best 85% touchdown rate — helped in large part by the tush push — entering Week 9.

Hurts also credited Patullo for the Eagles’ success inside the 20-yard line.

“I think KP has a really good feel in the red zone,” he said.

Patullo drew criticism in Philadelphia early in the season when the offense struggled. But Sirianni and Hurts said the success or failure of the offense is a collective team effort.

“In football, it’s always us,” Sirianni said. “All of us."

The Eagles look to continue their recent offensive success when they return to the field against the Packers while knowing that improvement remains a work in progress.

“The goal is to be playing your best ball at the end of the season, and there is a process that you have to go through to get that,” Hurts said. “There are going to be tests along the way, but you have to embrace those challenges as they come.”

Wide receiver DeVonta Smith has been Hurts’ go-to target. Smith broke out with a career-high 186 receiving yards in Week 7 against Minnesota and is ahead of last year’s pace when he had 833 receiving yards. Through eight games this season, he has 588 yards on 44 catches with a pair of touchdowns.

The defensive line. Because of injuries and departures, Philadelphia called on recently retired Brandon Graham to bolster a banged-up D-line. Graham, who didn’t play against the Giants, could make his return against the Packers. A first-round draft pick in 2010, the 37-year-old ranks third in Eagles history with 76 1/2 sacks and first in the postseason with 5 1/2, helping Philadelphia to its Super Bowl titles in 2017 and last season.

The Eagles also made several moves ahead of the Tuesday's trade deadline to strengthen the secondary, adding cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Michael Carter II and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.

Tight end Dallas Goedert has been a huge part of Philadelphia’s success in the red zone, and nearly a quarter of his receptions have been scores, with seven touchdowns on 30 catches.

Wide receiver A.J. Brown sat out against the Giants with a hamstring injury but has not been as effective as usual when healthy. The three-time Pro Bowl selection has 29 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns after amassing 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He also has publicly displayed frustration seemingly with his role in the offense, has made some cryptic social media posts and refused to speak to reporters after a 31-25 Week 4 win at Tampa Bay.

Center Cam Jurgens (knee) also did not play against New York. Defensive linemen Nolan Smith Jr. and Ogbo Okoronkwo have been on injured reserve, helping to open a hole for Graham’s return.

Hurts has been on top of his game in the last two weeks, throwing for 505 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions, and posting a 79.1% completion rate.

Philadelphia faces a Green Bay team looking to avenge a 22-10 defeat in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season.

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